1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a work vehicle, more particularly, to an engine section of a work vehicle. It is understood, however, that the present invention is not limited thereto.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to a known engine section for a work vehicle noted above, a radiator and a cooling fan are disposed on upstream side in a flowing direction of cooling air to an engine, and upwardly of a shielding plate fixedly disposed at a boundary portion between the radiator and the cooling fan, a recessed portion is formed for defining a space relative to a hood for allowing passage of an intake pipe of an air cleaner. A sealing member is bonded to an inner face of the hood for sealing a gap formed between the shielding plate and the hood. In operation, while the cooling air prior to its passage by the radiator is supplied to the engine via the air cleaner, the arrangement prevents entry of the cooling air after its passage by the radiator to be mixed with the cooling air prior to its passage by the radiator, through e.g. the gap between the shielding plate and the hood such as the space allowing passage of the intake pipe, so that reduction in cooling effect due to the mixing thereof with the cooling air before its radiator passage is prevented (see e.g. JP11-078987A, or US606875A corresponding thereto).
With the above-described arrangement, since the sealing member is bonded to the inner face of the hood, this sealing member, under a closed state of the hood, is to provide its sealing effect as coming into contact with the intake pipe of the air cleaner which passes through the space between the recessed portion of the shielding plate and the hood.
Therefore, it is not possible to visually check whether this sealing member is providing its effect to the air cleaner intake pipe appropriately or not. When it is not functioning appropriately, the cooling air with elevated temperature after its passage by the radiator will flow through the gap between the air cleaner intake pipe and the sealing member to be mixed inadvertently with the cooling air prior to passage by the radiator, so that this mixing may invite reduction in the cooling efficiency.
The object of the present invention is to prevent reliably such reduction of cooling efficiency due to mixing of heated cooling air having passed by the radiator with cooling air prior to radiator passage, via a gap present around an intake pipe of an air cleaner in space where this intake pipe extends through.